Child Nutrition Reauthorization
Ensuring students continue to have access to healthy school meals is more critical than ever. The school lunch program feeds 30 million children—most from families in need. Healthy school meals support kids who might not otherwise have access to nutritious food at home, especially given the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Every five years, Congress reauthorizes the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and other child nutrition programs through a process called Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR). Congress plans to take up CNR this year.
CSPI is calling on Congress to deliver a CNR that addresses the challenges of food and nutrition insecurity facing our children today. Several bills have already been introduced. Ask your representatives to act now:
Ask Congress to Ensure Schools Provide Healthy Meals
What do Members of Congress have to say about CNR?
Resources
Policy priorities
Take Action
- Ask Congress to support healthy school meals for all and stronger nutrition standards
- Ask Congress to support the Universal School Meals Program Act of 2021
- Ask Congress to pass the School Food Modernization Act
- See CSPI’s webpage on Healthy School Meals for All and Supporting Healthier School Food
COVID-19
- On the Front Lines: The COVID-19 Experience of School Nutrition Programs
- Implementation of COVID-19 meal pattern waivers: Best practices and comparisons by state
Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010
- Seven Key Findings on The Benefits of Healthy School Meals for All
- 10 Years of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act
- CSPI case study
- CSPI litigation
Resources on school foods
- 9 Reasons Rolling Back School Nutrition Is A Losing Proposition Infographic
- School Foods: A Bipartisan Issue
- Maintain Science-based Nutrition Standards
- School Food Waste
- School Lunch Participation Fact Sheet
- Sodium
- Whole Grains
- Added Sugars
- Don’t Exempt a la Carte from Smart Snacks Fact Sheet
- Calorie Infographics
- Financial Considerations
- School Food Service Equipment
- Nutrition Education for Children in Federal Programs
- Updating the Child and Adult Care Food Program
- How a (Child Nutrition) Bill Becomes a Law (from the National Farm to School Network)
For more information, contact us at policy@cspinet.org.